Columns

My parents, Gene and Katy Banker, joined Bethel Presbyterian Church on Jan. 7, 1951 – two months after they moved to Kingston and three weeks before I was born.

In those days when Bethel was open, our large family was there. But Biblical names did not deter we six Banker sons from youthful irreverence. Our squirming on Bethel’s second pew and the stern glances they evoked from Mom and Dad doubtlessly distracted (and perhaps amused) other worshipers.

Gentle reader, you no doubt recall that Emerson said that ‘A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.’ Events of the last few weeks have caused us to wonder what the great Ralph Waldo would have said about folks whose chief consistency consists of inconsistency.

We refer, of course to our Roane County School Board for they have proven themselves to be remarkably consistent in their inconsistency.

I spent the past eight months enrolled in classes for Leadership Roane County.

Our class traveled to government offices, businesses, social and health services, entertainment venues and law enforcement facilities, where we listened to a variety of elected officials, county employees and volunteers who work together to make Roane County a great place to live and work.

Last year the state legislature looked at several bills related to open records and open government.

This year the legislature is again considering several bills related to transparency in government.

Several of these bill were referred to committee to be reviewed. One bill that could be up for a vote this session involved the release of records pertaining to investigations of police shootings conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

You may think you love the First Amendment. You may get misty-eyed just thinking about it.

It calls to mind Woodward and Bernstein unraveling the Watergate scandal, Dr. King leading the March on Washington, Voltaire proclaiming, “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” (Voltaire didn’t actually say that, but he probably wouldn’t mind that you think he did.)

But sooner or later, you will come across something that will make you wonder just what’s so great about freedom of speech.